The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, regained the lead in Group B with a perfect victory in the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Jordan. In the match, South Korea won 2-0 and completely avenged its disappointing last loss to Jordan. Lee Jae-sung and Oh Hyun-kyu’s scores played a decisive role, and South Korea won its second consecutive World Cup qualifying round with three points.
South Korea and Jordan faced each other in the semifinals at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in Qatar in January, and South Korea lost 2-0 at the time, failing to advance to the final. This game was an opportunity for South Korea to shed its regret and a stage of revenge. In particular, it was more meaningful in that they were able to regain the joy of victory by meeting Jordan again on an important stage of World Cup qualification.
In this match, South Korea played without Son Heung-min, who is currently active in Tottenham. Son Heung-min was recently removed from the list this October after injuring his hamstring during a UEFA Europa League match. However, Hong Myung-bo established a strong lineup despite Son’s absence. Lee Kang-in, Joo Min-kyu, and Hwang Hee-chan were deployed to the front line, while Lee Jae-sung, Park Yong-woo, and Hwang In-beom defended the midfield. The four-back consisted of Lee Myung-jae, Kim Min-jae, Cho Yoo-min, and Seol Young-woo, while the goalie gloves were worn by Cho Hyun-woo.
From the beginning of the game, Jordan tried to target South Korea with aggressive forward pressure and long ball strategy, but South Korea released Jordan’s pressure with a calm build-up through a short pass. There was a threatening moment when Jordan’s attack hit the post in the seventh minute of the first half, but fortunately, the goal line-out decision nullified the score. Since then, South Korea has gradually maintained a stable game operation.
In the 37th minute, South Korea started to take the lead by scoring the first goal with Lee Jae-sung’s header. After receiving Seol’s accurate cross, Lee calmly scored a header shot and shook Jordan’s net. The goal was a crucial moment to change the course of the game. After the first goal, South Korea calmly targeted Jordan’s defense by operating a more stable game.
Jordan attempted to counterattack through forward pressure, but failed to create any significant opportunities due to South Korea’s organized defense and short pass plays in midfield. In particular, Kim Min-jae and Park Yong-woo took the center stage and blocked Jordan’s attack.
In the 23rd minute of the second half, Oh Hyun-kyu made a decisive moment. Oh, who caught the ball quickly from the Jordanian camp, shook Jordan’s net with an awl-like shot. The goalkeeper threw himself, but it was an unstoppable shot. The score sealed the victory with a 2-0 lead.
After Oh Hyun-kyu scored, Korea played more calmly. It relieved Jordan’s pressure with a precise pass from the back, continuing its stable operation. It also utilized passwork in the midfield and crossplay on the side to continue to shake Jordan’s defense.
As the second half progressed, Hong Myung-bo regulated the flow of the game by replacing key players for physical arrangements. He managed his team’s physical strength through a second-half substitution, placing Hwang In-beom on the bench and putting in Bae Jun-ho. Also, despite Jordan’s final offensive, Korea’s defense was solid. In particular, Kim Min-jae and Cho Yoo-min showed outstanding performances, and goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo also neutralized Jordan’s attacks with stable saves. 스포츠토토
Jordan tried to make a comeback by using set pieces and corner kicks until the end of the game, but it was not enough to break through South Korea’s solid defense structure. Eventually, Jordan failed to score a shot on goal in the second half of the extra time. Jordanian fans began to leave the stadium before the game was over, and South Korea was able to return in a good mood by taking three points away from the game.
With this victory, South Korea ranked No. 1 in the group with two consecutive wins in Group B of the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup. Not only did they avenge their disappointing loss at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, but they also continued to flow well in the World Cup qualifiers and showed off their strong performance once again. Now, South Korea is set to play against Iraq at home.